Hail Mary ends Bulldog playoff run
The No. 1 seed Belgrade Panthers mounted a late-game comeback to escape with a 27-20 victory over No. 2 seed Whitefish in the State A football quarterfinals Saturday at Belgrade.
The back-and-forth battle came down to a single big play.
Panthers wide receiver Tristan Walker hauled in the game-winning touchdown catch with 2:21 to play, outjumping double coverage in the end zone to snag a 33-yard Hail Mary pass from Brayden Konkol.
“He just threw it up there and Walker made a better play than we did,” Whitefish coach Chad Ross said. “Give Belgrade credit. They made the big play.”
Whitefish’s final drive went nowhere — a turnover on downs — and the Panthers ran out the clock to beat the Bulldogs for the second time this season.
The evenly matched teams flip-flopped leads for three quarters.
Belgrade struck first with an opening drive capped by a Konkol 1-yard touchdown run.
Whitefish quarterback Luke May connected with Sean Foley on a 27-yard touchdown pass to knot it at 7-7 less than a minute into the second quarter.
Senior kicker Nathan Boone connected on a 25-yard field goal to give the Dogs their first lead at 4:29 in the second quarter after a Whitefish drive stalled in the red zone.
Boone booted home another field goal just before the half to put Whitefish on top 13-7 at the break. The Dogs were facing fourth down and inches from the 4 yard line when coaches elected to send in the kicking team.
Whitefish racked up 217 yards of total offense in the first half.
Belgrade’s Walker hauled in a 13-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 13-13 midway through the third quarter.
With the Panthers threatening again, Whitefish defensive back Brian FauntLeRoy picked off a Konkol pass at the 35-yard line to set up another Bulldog scoring drive. May hit Foley on 27-yard pass to get Whitefish inside the 3-yard line. Chris Park punched in a 3-yard rushing touchdown to put the Dogs on top 20-13 going into the fourth.
Belgrade equalized two minutes into the fourth quarter with an 86-yard pass play that set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Grady Blewett.
Senior linebacker Gage Smith made a huge tackle to stop another Belgrade drive on fourth down, but Whitefish’s ensuing drive ended with a punt to set up the Panther’s game-winner.
Ross said penalties killed too many Bulldog scoring chances.
“In a playoff game, that makes the difference,” he said. “It’s the difference between having a touchdown opportunity or a field goal.”
The Bulldogs finished the season 8-3 overall. Ross called it a “turn-around season” for the program.
“The seniors had great leadership and showed the younger guys what hard work can do,” Ross said. “That’s the legacy they leave — hard work equals results.”
“Hats off to the seniors. I’m proud of them not just as football players, but as young men.”
Belgrade moves on to play Dillon in the semifinals. The other Class A semifinal game features Columbia Falls against Billings Central.
Whitefish 0 13 7 0 – 20
Belgrade 7 0 6 14 – 27
First quarter
B – Brayden Konkol 1 run (Shane Huntsman kick), 7:17
Second quarter
W – Sean Foley 25 pass from Luke May (Nathan Boone kick), 11:54
W – Boone 32 FG, 4:29
W – Boone 25 FG, :10.7
Third quarter
B – Tristan Walker 13 pass from Konkol (kick failed), 6:21
W – Chris Park 2 run (Boone kick), :29.4
Fourth quarter
B – Grady Blewett 1 run (Huntman kick), 10:21
B – Walker 33 pass from Konkol (Huntsman kick), 2:21